Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s highly anticipated memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love has found a new publisher in India, with HarperCollins India announcing that it will release the book on November 10, 2026.
The announcement comes shortly after Penguin Random House India (PRHI) confirmed that it would no longer publish the Indian edition, bringing an end to speculation over the book’s domestic release.
HarperCollins India will handle the publication and distribution of the memoir in the country, with its release date matching the book’s international launch. The global edition is being brought out by Alfred A. Knopf, a US-based imprint of Penguin Random House.
Why Did Penguin Random House Step Away?
The change in publisher follows reports of a disagreement between Sonia Gandhi’s team and PRHI over certain portions of the manuscript.
Reports had indicated that editorial changes were discussed in connection with politically sensitive sections of the book. The reported areas of attention included references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and India-China relations.
However, the exact passages involved and the nature of the proposed changes have not been made public.
PRHI rejected suggestions that it had simply abandoned the project because Gandhi’s team refused to make changes. The publisher said editorial review and fact-checking were standard aspects of its publishing process and maintained that it had remained “willing and keen” to bring out the memoir.
The publisher later described the situation as an impasse over a “particular issue”, while declining to provide further details because of confidentiality commitments.
Controversy Over Alleged External Pressure
The publishing dispute soon developed into a political controversy, with Congress leaders questioning whether external pressure had played a role in the decision.
Opposition leaders raised concerns about editorial independence and freedom of expression. The BJP and government representatives rejected those allegations, while Penguin Random House India denied that any outside interference had influenced its decision.
With HarperCollins now taking charge of the Indian edition, the book is expected to reach readers on its previously announced global release date.
What Will Sonia Gandhi’s Memoir Cover?
Belonging: A Journey of Love is expected to provide a personal account of some of the defining moments in Sonia Gandhi’s life.
The memoir is set to cover her journey from Italy to India, her marriage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the deaths of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
It is also expected to explore her eventual entry into Indian politics and her decision not to become prime minister after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power in 2004.
The book has already attracted considerable political attention even before publication. The switch from Penguin Random House India to HarperCollins is likely to add further curiosity around its contents, particularly the sections dealing with Indian politics and Sonia Gandhi’s years in public life.
